English girls are pretty when they play guitar
Crazy like a day just breaking I ain't sure what for
Ain't got a mother or a father or a place to fall
She's got a brother in the blues,
But he doesn't know the blues at all
You said you didn't love me, it was right on time
I was just about to tell you, but ok, alright
Said you didn't love me, you didn't want a thing
English girls can be so mean

She's got pretty eyes as a pair of jewels
Falling down the Camden
Like a couple drunken criminals
She had a messy bedroom on the edge of town
I had never been good enough
To ever keep around
You said you didn't love me, it was right on time
I was just about to tell you, but ok, alright
Said you didn't love me, it didn't mean a thing
English girls can be so mean
But, oh, look at you now
Oh, look at you now
Mmm, best I've ever seen
Just a tall drink of water
Just pourin' down the sink

Tall drink of water, she's a Norfolk waterfall
Little daybreaker, she's shooting like a cannon ball
Crazy like a rocket when
You're coming through my radio,
Kept me in your bed till the winter time
Through the fall
Fall time come, and I guess my little bird can sing
Come on Elizabeth, come on Bethany
Come on forever, I'm tired and I want to sleep
My little dove flew away, and I'm guessing
She was done with me
You said you didn't love me, it was right on time
I was just about to tell you, but ok, alright
Said you didn't love me,
That you didn't want a thing
English girls can be so mean
But, oh, look at you now
Oh, look at you now
Mmm, best I've ever seen
Just a tall drink of water
Just pourin' down the sink

Kissed me on the lips but my heart just slept it off
Words may move,
But they're never movin' fast enough
Celebrate the differences
I'll celebrate the songs you sing
Just three words, my love
You meant everything
You meant everything
You meant everything
You meant everything


Lyrics submitted by BlueAndStarry

English Girls Approximately Lyrics as written by Ryan Adams

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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English Girls Approximately song meanings
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    General Comment

    Anyone else notice that Marianne Faithfull's backing vox sound a lot like Beth Orton? I thought for sure it was her the first time I listened, had to actually look at the liner notes to find out it wasn't. I wonder if that was intentional.

    I don't know if any Beth songs are about Ryan... but This One's Gonna Bruise was written by him. Absolutely heartbreaking song.

    guitarchelson November 29, 2007   Link

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